Freedom Marches In (Hillsong United, Guitar Playthru Tutorial)

Hi all! I've come up with a video for the latest Hillsong United tune, with parts I think would be beneficial for beginners to learn.

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Tones and Tips: Gretsch Duojet

I recently got a hold of a Gretsch Duo Jet. It's a completely unique instrument, with certain quirks that takes some time getting used to, and a sound that has twang and growl, a balance between a single coil and a humbucker.

Here's a video I made that shows the unique tones and control scheme for the Duo Jet. I would have spoken and have some dialogue, but there's constant construction happening around my new home!

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Wonder (Hillsong United) - Guitar Playthru and Tutorial

I needed this recording, not in the sense of a monetary make-or-break for my channel, but I was feeling incredibly down this week. It's like there's been a dark cloud hanging over me, and it hasn't lifted. Everything was getting to me, and I didn't know how to change the way I felt about everything. I felt under-appreciated by everyone. And every memory of being taken for granted, of being abandoned, of being cast aside for the better ones--they all came crashing down on me.

I felt stifled, I felt choked. So I did the only thing I could, throwing my self into worship, hoping for anything, just anything from God, one word, one fragment of an encouragement from the one who made me to worship Him. And that search in prayer led me to the latest Hillsong United tune that Alphonsus introduced to me earlier--Wonder.

I did this in record time--listen to the parts, figure out an arrangement for solo guitar, dial in the correct tones, set up the camera, the recording interface, and hit record. I didn't care about the mistakes, I just went with the flow, letting myself get "lost in the wonder" (that's a terrifying thing for a seminary student to say). But alas, I'm tired of seriousness, tired of trying to be perfect. It's time to recapture the wonder.

Enjoy.

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Jazz and Blues in Worship

I'm a fan of reharmonizing tunes to fit other contexts, and in my case where some of my musical upbringing took place playing in wedding bands, I learnt some Jazz and Blues. I'm not skillful in Jazz chops by any means, I'm just a fan of the genre, having picked up a few tricks of the trade from sitting through numerous sessions where I've had to figure out Jazz chords from scratch. But of course, I wasn't alone; my dear bassist Ben Sng is really good at picking out musical substructures that I can't begin to describe.

Here are some arrangements I've made for worship songs. They don't usually bode well with the congregation, but as offertory music, they seem to be appreciated there.

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